A New Beginning

Monday 23rd May start of a new day, new week...

I've just checked up on the bird population...a friskiness of sparrows swirl from feeder to feeder, a pair of pigeons spying from the aerial... so generally an excellent beginning to the week.

Talking of excellence... I'll make a chicken pie later, and as usual won't stick fully to the recipe as laid down by Ms Berry, will probably tinker.

I watched Andrew Marr's interview with President Obama, his job (the President's) is clearly taking its toll, especially in the sockets under his beautiful eyes. I'm barmy enough to wonder whether Barack is strong enough for a second term, after all the election isn't that far away. If I were him I'd go to Camp David with Michelle and the nippers and take stock.

That reminds me I have a few new recipes to try which require wine shot stock, I expect a little sherry would do the job. We'll see.

Before I sign off I want to publicly thank the oodles of people who messaged me about the picture of my new frock, your compliments and generosity won't be forgotten or go unrewarded.

And now like my darling birds, I must fly..................

Cheap or Good? Both

Sweet Chilli dipping sauce from the 99p shop and a designer(Edina Ronay) dress from Debenhams via the Heart Foundation charity shop in Southend, that just about sums me up!
When I get a minute I'll slink into the frock and post a pic.

Today's special in Glo's Bungaloid is:
Roast chicken, cauli, peas, roast tatties followed by steamed lemon curd pudding.

Absolutely must dash, because soon Sky news is showing Big Roger Bolton's interview with Cool President Obama. And I've never been known to miss two miss two heavy hitters in Ghana.

I Looooove my new dress!..................

Pre-Dinner Thoughts

My plans for tomorrow have gone.
Just got a phone call from the old London people. Mum's got to go to the docs tomorrow and wants me there. Don't like this one jot. I've got a feeling it's diabetes. Might drive to London instead of taking the train. Might.

I watched Barack and thought his speech got better the longer it went on. He's a great orator and I'm glad he's on the world's stage. I still find it hard to believe that little old me has witnessed history in the making.

Haven't had a creative thought today and that really worries me. But I suppose my fragrant Muse is waiting in the shadows waiting for her silver moment. Silver moment? I like that...Maybe she's here already. Take me take me take me in your arms and under your skirts, my darling woman.

If I could be anywhere right now I'd be in an Indian restaurant wearing the dress in the photo and too much scent.

Now fantastic humdrum like cooking and the news.

If I could be anywhere today I'd be in Washington.
I'm imagining my little English body jumping in the air straining to get a glimpse of President Obama. I'd woooo! and cheer! and cry! with the rest of them, I'd probably faint too. But what a time and place to faint! At the Inauguration of a President. Much more classier than dropping to your knees by the frozen veg in Sainsburys.
But I'm not in Washington I'm here in windy Blighty so I'll have to watch it on the telly and that's alright with me, mate.

Before I sign off I must tell you about last night's sausage.
It was a dinner fit for a pauper, a King and indeed a President. The sausages were smashing likewise the Yorkshire pudding in fact I think it was the one of the best dinners I've ever cooked. Yet it was so simple. And that makes it even better.
On the menu tonight I lean towards the dark side with Devilled Chicken!

So now I have to do what English women do. Potter about.

General thoughts before dinner

On the menu tonight:
Toad-in-the-Hole, made not with regular sausages but with posh spicy pork sausages and apple.
Jacket potatoes
Beans
For pud the last of yesterdays Trifle.

I have an idea for a short story which may or may not come to fruition. All depends on whether or not I can concentrate. My concentration is all over the place at the moment what with one thing and another but I'm sure I'll come out from this dark hiding place waving my pen and beads around.
Mr Horsehound had to take the car in today for an M.O.T or something and it seems we need new wheels. Real proper wheels that is, not a new car!

I'm looking forward to watching as Barack Obama makes history tomorrow, I never thought I'd see a black man as President, the more I think about it the more incredible it is. I wonder what he and Michelle will do tonight. Will they sit quietly by their fireside pondering the almighty changes which are about to take place or will they drink coffee and play with their children.
A little of both I expect.

The 44th President

Congratulations to President-Elect Obama.
I can't say anything else right now.

I'm So Excited!

I can't eat anything.
I can't do anything.
And all because of what's happening across the Pond!
Being a bit of a delicate flower I'll need to crease the sheets earlyish on account of having to get up earlyish but you can rest assured my raspberry jelly will be on as soon as my eyes flick open.
I can't wait.....!!!

Man on a Mission

Like I've said on my other, now defunct blogs, I don't do good essays so bear with me as I sit here at six thirty in the morning and have a go.
The Democrat's Convention in Denver is over and it was a fabulous spectacle. I was not disappointed.
After watching Barack Obama's acceptance speech I was moved, not to tears, but to an equally wonderful feeling, awe, and as I drunk in his words I wondered how on earth John McCain would match it.

I don't know much about American politics, but what I do know however is that I enjoy it and that Senator Obama is hungry for high political office and political office doesn't come any higher than being the resident at 1600 Pennysylvania Avenue.

A tall slim black guy walked out onto the stage at the Invesco Stadium in Denver and had to beg his insatiable audience to calm down, almost pleading with them to allow him to start, what for me, was an incredibly uplifting speech. I saw and heard Jack Kennedy and Martin Luther King in both his mannerisms and uncomplicated words.
He was an on the level man applying for a hard job.

He spoke about his early life, his wife Michelle and his family, but most of all he said how much he loved his country.
I whooped with the rest of them as time after time he blessed and praised his beloved United States of America, and how he had to save it from four more years of Republican mismanagement.

He spoke about his plans for troop withdrawal from Iraq, domestic issues like health care and unemployment which got the Denver crowd waving their flags till they could wave no more.
He was of course preaching to the converted but I hope his John the Baptist type zeal touched a few Republican hearts as well.
He was a good orator and they loved him. He did make a few fluffs of course, he wasn't a Tony Blair, and as his face shone with sweat, I shot up a prayer and hoped this guy would do well. i.e. Win.

And so here was a chap, who by a lot of people's reckoning, shouldn't go anywhere near the White House, shouldn't even be considered as Presidential material, not because he can't do the job, but because of the colour of his skin. I didn't notice his colour all I noticed was a good young man aiming for the most awesome and powerful job on earth, and you know what, I hope he lands it.

His impassioned pleas bordered on desperation, couldn't the American folk see what needs to be done and that he, Barack Obama, was the one guy that could do it? Couldn't they see inside his heart instead of pondering over his colour? I perspired with him as his head swept from left to right and back again, his small eyes scouring nothingness, just a giant swarm, an ocean of flag waving fans who cheered at everything he said.
He didn't crack any jokes unlike our politicians, and they didn't give a hoot what he said, not really, he might as well have told them his list of engagements for next week and what he was having for supper.
Here was a jokeless preacher preaching to the converted and they adored him.
He was in the company of a million friends.

But it's outside where he's got to make more friends. And by jolly jingo I would imagine it's hard enough making friends in the little suburban worlds of small town America, yet alone winning over staunch Republicans.
I hope he does it.

I've watched him over the past couple of years and I always hoped that he'd go further than the Senate, whether or not he gets to sit in the Oval Office I don't know, but he's appeared on the political stage like a man who's seen the light.
Barack Obama is a man on a mission.

His words unvarnished yet powerful, his demeanour modest yet inspiring, here was a simple yet ambitious man applying for the hardest job in the world.
I hope the American people give it to him.